Advice From On High

Thailand's revered monarch rarely comments on affairs of state. But following the surge in violence in the deep south that was sparked by the deaths in October of 85 Muslim protesters in the custody of security forces, both King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his wife, Queen Sirikit, have spoken out. On Wednesday, in a speech broadcast to the nation, the King told a gathering of military and police generals in Bangkok that they must adopt softer tactics to handle the unrest—and warned that if they do not "manage the situation properly" the nation may "fall into ruin." The previous day, Queen Sirikit...